Toronto Waterfront Marathon
Toronto, September 14, 2003

Altitude Camp prepares young Canadians for world stage at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront, September 28th

-- Scotiabank Waterfront camp a unique private initiative to develop "a group of decent marathoners in Canada in 4 to 5 years".

-- Albuquerque camp, August 17th to September 7th, inspires Finlayson, Osaduik and Gamache: personal reports from athletes

-- "young-up-and-comers" expect to run under 2 hours 20 minutes and add good depth to Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The 2nd Annual Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Altitude Camp for "up and coming Canadian marathoners" [August 17th to September 7th] has just concluded in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and three of Canada's most-promising young marathoners are inspired. They are ready to make their marks in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 28th, as organizers attempt to return "international-class marathoning" to Canada's largest city.

Endorsed by the Athletics Canada Endurance Group, this unique, private-enterprise opportunity for Canadian marathoners was the idea of Canada's current #1 ranked marathoner, Bruce Deacon, a consultant to the Toronto Waterfront.

Now in the twilight of a fine career that has seen the 36-year old Olympian represent Canada on many occasions, most recently running a career-best 2:13:21 in Sacramento last December, and then claiming a silver medal in the Pan am Games Marathon this summer. Deacon urged Race Director Alan Brookes and Technical Director Dave Reid to set up the camp. "What's going to happen when I retire?" asked Deacon. "There are a bunch of promising young Canadian distance runners out there, but they need a leg up".

Begun in a small way last year, the Camp is set to make an impact this year.

It has been managed by Reid, a former Canadian 1500m record holder and Canadian 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m champion, who is now a top distance coach with the Etobicoke Huskies-Striders.

"Our long-term goal," says Reid, "is to establish a group of decent marathoners in Canada. It will take 4 or 5 years."

This year, Jim Finlayson of Victoria, Steve Osaduik of Nanaimo, and Stephane Gamache of Ottawa were selected as Camp participants. Thanks to the Scotiabank sponsorship, the Waterfront Marathon paid return airfare to Albuquerque, food and accommodation. In return, the athletes will comprise a core, second pack of elite male runners in the Waterfront Marathon on September 28th-again with all expenses paid for travel to the event. Finlayson made an impressive debut in Ottawa this spring of 2:19. Gamache's PR is 2:23, and the 23-year-old Osaduik will be making his marathon debut after a string of good 30-minute 10k performances.

Assisting coach Reid at the Camp has been Blaise Dubois, one of Athletics Canada's top physiotherapists from Quebec City. According to Martin Goulet, National Director of the AC Endurance Group, The Waterfront's Altitude Camp could well figure into the national Federation's build up to the World Half Marathon Championships in Edmonton in 2005. Reid hopes it will benefit from this impetus and lead to a strong marathon group for 2008.

"Besides the obvious benefits of altitude, says Reid, "the Camp provides a chance for everyone to come together in a good training environment. It gives a sense of comraderie and focus for these young Canadians. In Albuquerque, they don't have to worry about scraping together this month's rent through a landscaping job or the like. They can focus solely on running-- training hard, undistracted, sharing training ideas, being held together by the physio as they extend themselves, and having the chance to ask lots of questions. On their daily runs, they'll be thinking, 'these are the trails that [world record holders] Khannouchi and Paula Radcliffe come and train on'. They'll be pumped!"

The Canadians actually share a house with 5 other top international distance runners. "They have a chance to rub shoulders with the best in the world," claims Reid.

On the other side of the ledger, the Altitude Camp is also part of a 4 to 5 year strategy of Reid, Brookes, and new Event Manager Carm Federico, to grow the Toronto Waterfront into an international-class marathon, backed by the excellent long-term sponsorship of Scotiabank.

How will Finlayson, Osaduik and Gamache shape up on September 28th ? "Realistically," says Reid, "with $38,000 in prize money on the line, they'll be part of a second group, chasing Pamenos Ballentyne of St.Vincent and a three already-confirmed 2:12-2:14 Kenyans. Marathon champions aren't built in a day. But just you watch. It's one foot in front of the other, just like the event itself. These guys will do well. They need to get to the next level of 2:16 to 2:18. Give us 4 or 5 years with the Camp and the Toronto race, and we'll get there!".

This second pack will also include another bright young prospect, Scott McClennan, a grad student at UBC, who was 21 seconds ahead of Finlayson in the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon in June[65:25 PR], but unable to attend the Camp. Montreal's Oukid Fethi is expected to round out the group who hope to be on 68:30 pace at halfway.

As "proof positive" that the altitude campers are ready, Steve Osaduik returned from Albuquerque on Friday 5th, in order to race the Harbour City Half Marathon in his hometown of Nanaimo on Sunday the 7th. While there remains some controversy over the accuracy of the course, Steve defeated the Camp's mentor and Canada's #1-ranked marathoner, Bruce Deacon, 64:09 to 64:13. If the course was accurate, it was a 31/2 minute personal best for Osaduik. Regardless, it was a huge win over Deacon, himself coming off a lifetime best performance at the Pan Am Games.

(L - R) Scott McLennan, Jim Finlayson, Steve Osadiuk and Stephane Gamache.

What follows are three accounts from the Camp itself, written by Jim Finlayson, on behalf of the group.

21 August 2003
This is our first update from the camp (dictated by Dave). Jim Finlayson, Stephane Gamache, Steve Osaduik and coach Dave Reid are in full marathon training mode. The Belgian Eddy Hellebuyck took us into the foothills yesterday, winding up the pace over a 13-miler, finishing up in a couple of 5:10 miles to leave our quads burning for today's efforts. Today we hit the infamous Khannouchi trail for a hilly 12 miler oscillating between 6200 and 7000 feet. Tomorrow will be the first true test for our fitness as we hit the track representing Team Canada for a 3 x 3000m workout with American superstar Teddy "the bear" Mitchell and aspiring marathoner Mark (who will be running Chicago in October). The first long run will be a 22 miler along the Rio Grande river (a gentle 5000 feet) on Sunday.

Things at the house are going well. There are 4 Kenyans and a South African as well as the four of us, and tonight the much awaited Blaise Dubois, physiotherapist extroadinare, will arrive to keep us in one piece. We've discovered a Whole Foods Market which stocks pretty much only organic produce and natural meats to fuel our aching muscles. It's the best food place that Jim has ever seen!

We're off! Expect another update after Sunday's long run.

Team Canada.

26 August 2003
Another update from Albuquerque. Blaise arrived last Thursday night and has been a superstar for us, hauling ice home from the grocery store for our post-long run / workout ice baths, giving us massages in the evenings, flexibility assessments and tips on shoes and nutrition. He's been our rabbit for some of our easy runs as well, making sure that we aren't slacking after the morning sessions. Stephane, Steve and I are putting in the miles, our heaviest training of the season. Steve Osaduik continues to roll, hammering workouts with Teddy Mitchell and Eddy Hellybuck. Stephane is adding some recovery work at the gym with cold tubs, hot tubs and some pool work. I'm still going to the grocery store once a day. Ah, and I'm getting more acclimatized to the altitude.

We hit the track today for a good session, on the heels of Sunday's long run and yesterday's solid 12 miler around the Academy where we threw down some eye-popping laps (19:37 - 19:00 for the last two loops,). Tomorrow we'll be joining the big boys for an anything but easy 13 miler before taking Thursday easy, then a workout on Friday and our last long run down here on Sunday. The weather continues to be incredible!

Thanks for your support and for getting us all down here to be able to take advantage of such a great training environment!

Talk to you soon,

Jim

30 August 2003
Blaise left on Saturday, leaving the three Canadian runners in what has become enjoyably monotonous weather and conditions. Every day is 32 degrees celcius with sun. Every morning is either a workout, a long run or a 12 miler and (almost) every afternoon is an easy 5 mile shake out.

We hit the track last Friday for 10 x 1000m for which Steve and I averaged about 3:05, nothing blazing, just nice and consistent. Stephane started with us at 3:10's and when we picked it up, he held steady at the same pace. Sunday we went to the river for our long run, the best flat place to run for an extended amount of time. Stephane ran 20 miles and Steve and I knocked off a solid 22 miles, running the last 8 miles at about 5:45 pace. The next day (Monday) we went back for our last tour of the Khannouchi trail.

After feeling like I was jogging through the first lap (38:22), I cruised to a second lap of 33:43, going with the flow of the land. Steve backed off to a 36 minute second loop to make sure that he was getting full recovery, and Stephane, still feeling flat, went easy on both loops while searching for the missing ingredient in his training. Yesterday we hit the Radcliffe mile loop, 6 of them with 3 minutes rest, the same workout that the boys did last year. Stephane was hitting mid-5:20's, while Steve and I started at 5:12 and cut them down from there, averaging 5:03 with a 4:48 last mile for me and a 4:57 last mile for Steve.

Again, the body felt good (I've actually felt really good since last Sunday, a week and a half ago). Anytime Steve is asked how he is feeling, he gives a non-committal "good" mirroring his consistency in workouts. Stephane still feels heavy legged and flat but he's putting in the work. Steve was about 120 miles last week with Stephane and I at about 112. Steve heads home on Friday for a half-marathon in Nanaimo, feeling fit and confident. Stephane and I will stick out the week here, likely around 120 miles, with me heading home on Sunday and Stephane off on the 13th.

Other than the running, we haven't been doing a whole lot. Books have been taken to Starbucks, naps are being taken and of course we have our usual banter sessions around the TV in the evenings, egos being bruised or bolstered depending on who is doing the talking, running being the most oft discussed topic, though women seem to sneak their ways into our conversations with alarming regularity.

I'll be back in Victoria on Sunday, to start making the final preparations for Toronto Waterfront.

Thanks!

Jim

Further information or interviews, contact Dave Reid, 416 543 4321
Enter at www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com